Andrew James Simonds

Born: Sept. 30, 1981; in Anchorage, AlaskaDied: Dec. 14, 2006; near Port Heiden, AlaskaHe was a 1999 graduate of Jacobs High SchoolANCHORAGE, Alaska - Andrew James Simonds, 25, of Anchorage, Alaska, died Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006, in a plane crash 18 miles northeast of Port Heiden, Alaska, on his way to King Salmon, Alaska.He was born Sept. 30, 1981, in Anchorage, to Kevin and Alice Simonds. He moved with his family to Illinois in 1983, living in such places as Kankakee, Decatur and Algonquin. He graduated high school in 1999 from Harry D. Jacobs High School in Algonquin. He received his degree in Aviation Human Factors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2003 and moved back to Alaska.He worked as a bush captain for PenAir from July 2003 until his death and as a laborer for Hickel Construction & Engineering during the summer and fall of 2006. He was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Anchorage; he belonged to the Civil Air Patrol Auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Air Force R.O.T.C. during college. During his free time, he enjoyed playing football, soccer and softball, as well as riding his motorcycle. His family and flying were his two passions in life. He will be remembered for his profound dedication to his wife, son, and their unborn son due in April. He had an immense love of being a father, and found great joy in fulfilling the roles of both father and husband. He loved the time spent in Alaska with his cousins and family, and he enjoyed being outdoors. Although he moved so far from his home in Illinois to pursue his career and lifelong dream to be a pilot in Alaska, he had an amazing ability to stay connected to those who missed him so much. His smile and sense of humor were infectious to all those around him. He died living out his childhood dream of being a "bus driver in the sky." He will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.Survivors include his wife, Andrea (Hickel) Simonds of Anchorage; a son, Braeden Simonds; an unborn son, Andrew Charles Simonds; his parents, Kevin and Alice Simonds of Algonqiun; a brother, Brian Simonds of Golden, Colo.; a sister, Jessica Simonds of Algonquin; his father- and mother-in-law, Peter Sr. and Laurel Hickel; a brother-in-law, Peter Hickel Jr.; his sister- and brother-in-law, Kimberly and Kile Thimsen; a nephew and niece, Kenton and Kennedy Thimsen; his uncles and aunts, the Rev. Dan Hebert of Anchorage, Bill and Lucille Etzel and family of Bourbonnais, Jerry and Cindy Hebert and family of Bradley, Mark and Marilyn Gibson of Decatur, Martin and Mary Shields and family of Anchorage, Mike and May Simonds and family of West Lake Village, Calif., and John and Kathleen Stratigos and family of South Bend, Calif.; his grandmother, Philomena Simonds of Anchorage; and the Vern Hickel family of Anchorage.He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Joe Hebert and Reva Hebert Sutherland; and his paternal grandfather, Charles Simonds.The visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, with a rosary at 6 p.m. and a vigil prayer service at 7:30 p.m., at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 3900 Wisconsin Blvd., Anchorage. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 22, at the church. His uncle, the Rev. Dan Hebert, will officiate. An additional memorial service will be held in January in his hometown area of Chicago.Burial will be in Angelus Memorial Park Cemetery in the spring.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in his name to his children at any Wells Fargo Bank, account number 2526635459.For information, call Evergreen Memorial Chapel in Anchorage at (907) 279-5477.Sign the guest book at www.NWHerald.com/obits